Honduras Announces Suspension of U.S. Beef Imports

UNCLAS TEGUCIGALPA 002997

SIPDIS

STATE FOR EB/TPP/ABT BARBARA YODER AND WHA/CEN
USDA/FAS/DLP FOR HOWARD WETZEL
GUATEMALA FOR AGATT

E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: EAGR ETRD PGOV HO
SUBJECT: Honduras Announces Suspension of U.S. Beef Imports

REF: A) STATE 348293, B) SAN SALVADOR 03518


1. Summary: The Government of Honduras has announced a
suspension of imports of U.S. beef and its derivatives, in
accordance with guidelines issued by the OIE (World
Organization for Animal Health). The Honduran ban does not
include dairy products or other products considered to carry
no risk of BSE (Bovine Spongiform Encephalopathy). End
Summary.


2. As early as December 25th, the Honduran press quoted Dr.
Lizardo Reyes, Director of the GOH's Office of Animal
Health, as declaring a ban on imports of U.S. beef.
However, no official pronouncement was made until December
29th, when Dr. Reyes, along with the Minister of Agriculture
and Livestock Mariano Jimenez, held a press conference and
released the statement translated below.


3. EconOff spoke with Dr. Reyes after the press conference,
and delivered the talking points in ref A. Dr. Reyes
stressed that Honduras is simply conforming to OIE
guidelines, and is not following any resolution of OIRSA
(Regional International Organization for Agricultural
Health) such as that mentioned in ref B. (Note: In fact,
when listing the products not covered by the ban, the third
paragraph of the press release follows nearly word-for-word
the OIE guidelines for restrictions of imports from
countries with a high risk of BSE, as available on-line at
http://www.oie.int/esp/normes/mcode/E_00068.h tm. End note.)


4. Dr. Reyes also made positive statements to the effect
that he was sure that the infected cow was an isolated case,
that he is confident the USDA is taking all necessary
precautions in response to the case, and that Honduras will
be able to lift the suspension on imports "in the short
term."

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Informal Translation of GOH Press Release
--------------


5. Begin Translation:

Title: The Ministry of Agriculture and Livestock announces
the temporary suspension of the importation of animals and
bovine-derived products from the United States

The Ministry of Agriculture and Livestock announced a
suspension of the importation of animals, meat and bovine-
derived products from the United States, after the
Department of Agriculture of that country announced on
December 23, 2003 a suspected case of Bovine Spongiform
Encephalopathy, better known as "Mad Cow Disease," in a cow
slaughtered December 9, 2003 in the area of Washington.
This suspected case was confirmed by information received
December 28, 2003 from Dr. Peter Fernandez, Associate
Administrator of the Animal and Plant Health Inspection
Service of the U.S. Department of Agriculture, when the
laboratory based in Weybridge (United Kingdom) confirmed the
diagnosis of the National Veterinary Laboratories in Ames,
Iowa.

Honduras, following the guidelines established by the OIE
for this disease, has taken this decision with the goal of
avoiding any potential risk to public health, or to national
livestock.

Exempt from the ban are certain products such as milk and
milk products, semen, embryos, protein-free tallow,
dicalcium phosphate, hides, skins, and gelatin and collagen
obtained from hides and skins, since there exists no
zoosanitary risk from this merchandise.

These actions also have the goal of assuring third countries
to whom Honduras exports that we have taken the necessary
precautions to guarantee that our merchandise will not pose
any risk to these other nations.

It is also necessary to mention that the consumption of beef
in Honduras is guaranteed by these actions, as well as by
the fact that the great majority of our livestock are fed by
pasture and forage.

End Translation.

Pierce